Lembke takes on red-light cameras, also continues battle against lawyers
Lembke
New state Sen. Jim Lembke, R-Mehlville, has added a new target to his cadre of got-to-get-rid-ofs: ‘Red light’ cameras.
As the Arch City Chronicle first pointed out today, Lembke is on the same page as some St. Louis aldermen, who want such cameras outlawed.
Lembke refers to them as “revenue enhancers” for cash-strapped local communities seeking new sources of funds, and for the out-of-state companies who supply them.
Said Lembke: “The cameras can’t prove who’s driving the vehicle, and many people argue this method of traffic enforcement disregards a person’s Fifth Amendment rights and forces self-incrimination. This is an example of big government and ‘Big Brother’ at its worst.”
Lembke also contends that the cameras don’t make financial sense. “While the starting salary for a commissioned St. Louis police officer is $37,514 a year, one red light camera costs around $56,000 a year to operate,” he said.
By the way, Lembke says the issue played a role in his narrow election over Democrat Joan Barry.
Meanwhile, Lembke is continuing his quest to curb the power of the Missouri Bar. He has introduced a bill to make membership in the Bar optional for lawyers. (They’d still have to pass the Bar exam to practice law in the state.)
Way to go, Jim…go get em!
Thank you Mr. Lembke. Red light cameras tend to make people drive worse. Slowing down even with a green light, slamming on brakes at the hint of a yellow light. Things like that.
This issue is seen as a get rich quick scheme by municipalities and needs to be stopped. I am surprised they haven’t come up with “Stop sign cameras” yet. That would pull in weigh more money than red light cameras.
If Lembke gets his wish, all taxpayers will be stuck with the bill discouraging behaviors like those on the Top Ten Stupid Redlight Runners video over on Along for the Ride. In municipalities with red light cameras, red light runners have to foot the bill to catch their bad-driving selves.
Watch them here: http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/along-for-the-ride/
Intersting comments from the freshman senator. Funny how some of his fellow elected officials in Jefferson City think the cameras are fine, so long as the funds collected be sent to school districts.
This is all about drving safely, responsibility and not breaking the law. Pretty simple. Don’t run the light. Make a complete stop at a red light before turning red and you won’t get a ticket.
Car owners need to be responsible about who they let drive their car. Driving is a privilege.
“Revenue enhancers”. The entire system we have governing the way people drive is based on revenue. Get a load of speeding tickets and you pay fines and risk losing insurance or watch your insurance rates rise. Not to mention losing your license. The incentive to driving safely is the threat of a ticket or possible jail time.
If you use the “revenue enhancer” argument you might as well throw out every speeding and safe restriction in the book.
National police studies say it takes a officer 10-12 minutes to pull over a person who has run a red light; get out of his car; get the license of the driver; get back in the car; process the violation; get back out of the car and return the license and issue the ticket.
Drivers are killing highway workers and construction workers in construction zones. I don’t want to police officer in any more danger. If a camera can do the work, great.
On a related point Senator, your negative ads on a fine public servant helped you narrowly win the election. This issue had nothing to do with it.
Thank you for posting the link to that terrible video of drivers barreling through red light cameras. I think that should be the video for the campaign ad of Senator Lembke’s next opponent, who will have my vote. The message will be that Senator Jim Lembke thinks these blatant threats to safety are OK for your kids and mine. It’s funny - Senator Lembke portrays himself as pro-life. What is more pro-life than protecting the safety of our kids from these terrible drivers?
Doesn’t that video just prove that people run the lights whether the cameras are there or not? That’s what I don’t get about this whole thing. The media and law enforcement are playing up this video saying “hey, see they work.” Yet it tells me that the cameras are not working.
Why not hire a police officer to sit at every light where there is a camera now, it looks like it would be cheaper. At least then if there is an accident you have a first responder. Beyond that it puts folks to work!
The money going to schools would never work because then the revenue incentive for the municipalities is gone.
Jim’s right “Get rid of em”
The video proves that the cameras don’t stop accidents… arguing with a lack of common sense is always a war worth fighting.
Lembke is right. The cameras are nothing but revenue enhancers for cities. If the cameras were about improving safety at intersections, the munis would be using the money collected to improve those “dangerous” intersections. They don’t They use the revenue for whatever they want.
The cameras can cause more accidents than they prevent. Kudos to Senator Lembke for taking on this travesty.
This is too funny! People acually support those stupid automatic meter maids?